Device for dispensing and lighting cigarettes or the like



April 28, 1942- I... Y. ARONSQN 2,281,060

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING AND LIGHTING CIGARETTE S OR-THE LIKE Filed March 11, 1938 ATTO EY Patented Apr. 28, 1942 OFFICE DEVICE FOR DISPENSING AND LIGHTING I CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE Louis V. Aronson, Newark, N. 1., assignor to Art Metal Works, Inc., a eorporatiomof New Jersey Application March 11, 1938, Serial No. 195,245 90mm. (01. zoo-41.3)

This invention relates to devices for dispensing cigarettes or the like, and including if desired, means for lighting the cigarettes at the time of removal from a container.

The invention in its preferred form may involve a casing or magazine for containing a plurality of cigarettes and provided with means for moving the cigarettes one by one into a position such that one end of a cigarette will be freely exposed for access to the mouth of a smoker, while the other .end is firmly retained at the easing; where means may also be provided if desired for lightingthe retained end as the smoker applies his lips to the exposed end.

' The objects of the invention include the pro visionoi' an improved, durable and relatively simple, compact mechanism for this purpose,

, which will be dependable and convenient in op- With the improved device oi? this ineration. vention, one may oiler a cigarette to another smoker, while lighting the same if desired, without handling or touching the cigarette during the procedure. The mechanism in its preferred form is such that it may be used either for lighting thecigarettes dispensed thereby, or for other lighting uses, such as lighting cigarettes from other sources, cigars or pipes. or if preferred, the device may be used simply to quickly and conveniently dispense a cigarette unlighted. Also I tures and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of example a certain preferred form of the invention. The invention consists in such novel features, arrangements and combinations of parts as may be shown and described in connection with the device herein disclosed.

Inthe drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2is a perspective view of the same device showing the lighter assembly disengaged from the cigarette casing, and the cigarette casing cover moved to open position; r

Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view of the device of Fig.1;

Fig. 4. is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line i-l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the vice shown at the top of Fig. 3;

Fig. '6 is a perspective view showing the relationship of certain details of the device; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

The device as shown in Fig; 1 may comprise a cigarette casing III which may preferably be of a generally rectangular flat shape. A suitable form of pyrophoric' spark-producing lighting means,

for example as at H, may be mounted along one vertical edge of the casing I0 and in a position such that the lighter flame will be adjacent an end I! of a cigarette I 3 which is to be lighted. On the vertical edge of the casing l0 opposite from the lighter, a rotatable knob I 4 may be be provided, and connected with a suitable means hereinafter described, for separating the cigarettes one-by-one from the remaining cigarettes in the casing. A depressible finger button i5 may be, mounted co-axially with the knob l4 and connected with suitable mechanism hereinafter described for tilting the other end lb of the cigarette upwardly into a freely exposed position accessible to the lips of the smoker or to the person to whom the cigarette is oflered, before the lighter is operated. As the lighter is operated to produce a flame at, the end I! of the cigarette, the smoker may apply his mouth to the end I6,

-' for creating a draft of air through the cigarette causing the flame to be drawn on to the end I! l The lightingmechanism (see Fig. 2) and the adjacent edge of the casing may be provided with suitable tongue and groove or mortise and tenon means as at I1, and I8 respectively, permittingthe lighter assembly to be slid'ably removed or applied to the casing and permitting the assembly to be positioned at an adjustable elevation in respect to the top of the casing. The mechanism within the lighter assembly may be,,for example,

2,051,934, granted August 25, 1936, forexample.

As shown in Fig. 3 the lighter assembly may'in clude an elongated fuel receptacle l9, provided,

part of the dewith a wick 20, protruding from the top of t e fuel receptacle adjacent a rotatable abrad t wheel and pyroplioric sparking means as at 2|.

wick snufier member as at 25. As shown, the,

sparking mechanism may be largely housed and supported within a wind guard as at 21, formed integral-with the fuel receptacle walls. It will be understood that the abradant wheel may be arranged to engage a pyrophoric element as at 28, which may be biased upwardly against the wheel as by a spring 29 within a tube extending down through the fuel receptacle to a retaining screw 30, accessible at the bottom end of the fuel receptacle. A filling opening for the fuel receptacle may be conveniently provided at 3| on the face of the receptacle which normally is concealed by the adjacent edge of the casing ID. The casing I0 may contain a magazine construction including a highly flexible zigzag leaf spring assembly as at' which is compressible into a very small space within the bottom of the casing when the casing is filled with cigarettes. The upper end of the spring 35 may engage against a plunger-like member 36, which member as shown in Fig. 2, may comprise a horizontal face plate portion 31 for engaging the cigarettes, and a vertically depending plate portion 38 as more fully indicated in Fig. 3. A pin 39 may be mounted on the under side of the portion 38 and arranged to protrude through an aperture in the upper leaf of the spring assembly 35 for retaining the upper portion of the latter in proper position. The front of the casing may be normally covered by a downwardly slidable cover as at 40 having be retained in place by flange members as at 44,

45, secured to the side walls of the casing. The flange for example may be recessed as at 46 to conveniently permit insertion of the cigarettes when the cover '40 is slid'down. When the cover is slid upwardly to closed position, it will be understood that the plunger-like member 36 will be urged upwardly by the spring assembly 35 in a manner tending to move the plurality of cigarettes in a direction transverse to their length and upwardly toward the top of the casing.

A cartridge-like or semi-cylindrical rotatable member 50 may be mounted along and within the top'edge of the casing. The top edge of the casing which is slotted, is also preferably rounded as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to substantially conform in shape with this rotatable member. As shown in Fig. 5, the lefthand end 5| of the member may be rotatably positioned in a circular aperture 52 formed in the upper portion of the edge wall of the casing. The end 5| of the cartridge-like member is open or made substantially open to permit access of a flame or other high temperature portion of the lighting means, whereby when the lighting means is operated, an end of the cigarette positioned in this opening may be lighted. The rotatable member may be formed with a longitudinally extending slot 53 extending substantially throughout its length, whereby when the member 50 is positioned as shown in Fig. 3, a'single cigarette will be forced from the magazine up into the member 50. As

shown in Fig. 5, the righthand end of the member 50 may be closed by a disc-like end piece 54 to which the rotatable knurled knob ll may be rigidly secured as by the threaded portion shown at 56. Accordingly when the knob M which is outside the casing, isrotated by the user, the cartridge-like chamber 50 may be turned so as to turn the slot 53 from the-downward position shown in Fig. 3 into a position facing the upper slotted edge of the casing as shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the cigarette contained within the member 50 will be partially exposed.

The inner face of the knob l4 may be equipped with a pair of spring-pressed balls, as at 51 and 58, for engaging properly positioned recesses in the side wall of the casing, whereby the cartridgelike member 50'and its knob are yieldably retained against unintended rotation when these elements are either in the position with the slot 53 facing downwardly, or when the slot is facing upwardly.

A thin narrow leaf spring element 60 may ex-, tend longitudinally of th cartridge-like member 50 along the inside wall opposite the slot 53.. As shown in Fig. 5, the lefthand end of this spring element 60 may be effectively secured against displacement by being slidably received beneath 2. lug 6| soldered'or otherwise secured to the member 50. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the righthand end of the spring member 60 may be arranged to pivotally engage a slidable element 62; That is the 'lefthand end of the member 62 may be formed with a lug portion 63 to be received between a pair of hinge-like struck-up and turned-over lug portions 64 formed on the end of the spring member 60.- The member 62 may be rigidly formed of a double thickness of strip metal as shown, and having its righthand end upturned as at 65 for engagement with a small slidable square rod 66 extending to the exterior'of the casing and terminating in the finger button l5 above referred to in connection with Fig. 1. That is, the square rod 66 may be riveted or otherwise ailixed as shown to the member 62 and the rod being square and received in a square hole through the knob l4, will cause the spring member 60 and member 62 to turn concurrently with the cartridge-like member 50 whenever the latter is turned, and so that the spring member 60 will always be opposite the slot 53.,

When the cartridge-like member 50 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the user may press on the finger button I5 which will cause the member 62 to move toward the left, this in turn causing the spring member 60 to bulge as shown. ,As a result of such bulging, the righthand end of the cigarette contained within the chamber 50 will be thrust upwardly into the desired freely exposed position accessible to the lips of the smoker. Fig. 1 shows the cigarette with its end 16 partially moved toward such position. Meanwhile the end l2 of the cigarette will be retained at and within the corner of the casing in proper position for lighting. This is insured by reason of the fact that although the top of the edge of the casing is provided with a slot corresponding to the slot 53, such slot is somewhat restricted in width at its end I (see Figs. 1 and 2) so that the retained end of the cigarette is not free to be thrust upwardly from the casing, but can only be withdrawn by a longitudinal movement of the cigarette after it has been thrown to the diagonal position. The final withdrawal of the cigarette after it has been -lighted, may readily be accomplished with the lips of the smoker, since the retained end of the cigarette will be quite free for longitudinal movement especially after mounted within the top righthand corner of the magazine. This member may depend from and be secured in respect to the casing wall by portion 12 which is engaged between the end piece, A 54 of the chamber 50 and the edge wall of the casing.

It will be noted that the device when constructed as above described, is, when in use asv well as when not in use, of a compact design and construction, free of any awkward protruding parts such as might be liable to catch in the pocket or handbag of the user or be cumbersome in use. Furthermore, the operating finger pieces are ofsuch nature that they are not liable to accidental operation, so that the possibilities of unintended operation of the lighter or discharge of a cigarette are eliminated.

Also the lighter construction and its mounting on the casing are such that the lighter mechanism may be quickly removed for inspection, repair or replacement of the same, or parts thereof. Also if it is desired to remove the lighter mechanism per se and pass it around, for example for use in lighting cigarettes, cigars or pipes, this may be readily done. Or if preferred, the lighter may be used for purposes other than lighting cigarettes contained in the device, without removing the lighter from the device, since the top of the lighter is open for accessto the flame. The flame when produced, is in a position such that its top does not contact with any of the parts except when the flame is drawn into one end of a cigarette by reason of suction-applied to the other end of the cigarette. Thus the parts are so arranged ln respect to the flame that they will not be injured by the heat, or become covered with soot at any objectionable point to which the user's. I hands might be accessible.

magazine, then just as the cigarette is about to be applied to the lips of the smoker, the desired end of the cigarette may be thrust upwardly into freely exposed convenient position. Then the other end of the cigarette may either be immediately lighted, or the lighting may await the convenience of the smoker. In short, the lighting and ejecting operations may be performedwithe out interfering with each other. Thus, if for any reason the lighting means should misfire, its operatlon'may be repeated without ejecting another cigarette.

In operating thefinger button for tilting the cigarette, the device may be grasped in the hand in such position that the thumb is applied to such button, while the forefinger is applied to the lighter finger piece. With the device in this position, the exposed cigarette end is in a very convenient position for application to the smokers lips. This position is also such thatthe device may be firmly grasped and held without changing its position both while the cigarette is tiltedand the lighter is operated. If the ciga-' rette is to be offered to another person, the device may be similarly held, but in the reverse position, viz., with the thumb on the lighter finger piece and the forefinger on the button for tilting'the cigarette.

The construction is such that one end of the dispensed cigarette is firmly retained in proper a relatively large number of cigarettes without I occupying a space very substantially greater than required for a single layer or row of the cigarettes, and the whole device is of a convenient fiat shape for fitting into the pocketthe thickness being not very substantially greater than the diameter of the cigarettes. v

The rotatable compartment for separating the cigarettes from the magazine, serve at the same time to provide a wall for substantially sealing the outlet of the magazine againstentrance of dirt, abraded pyrophoric material, sparks, flame,

or lighted particles of tobacco from around the lighter. Thus the cigarettes are kept fresh and unsoiled until used. At the same time the elected end of the dispensed cigarette is freely exposed in a position widely spaced from any metal parts which might otherwise possibly contact with or obstruct the lips or face of the smoker. When the smoker finally removes'the lighted cigarette, the lighted end still does not have any opportunity to contact with the remaining cigarettes and the lighted end is not gripped by any parts of a nature which might cause sparks to be rubbed off.

The magazine is of such construction that its parts may be exposed for convenient inspection, repair or replacement simply by sliding off the cover. At the same time it is unnecessary to use any hinge construction for the cover which would involve an added expense and be subject to jamming.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to particular preferred examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and further modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and. scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore in the appended. claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for containing and delivering cigarettes, comprising a magazine for receiving a plurality of the cigarettes in side-by-side relationship, a cartridge-like compartment for reposition, outwardly of the compartment through said opening to a freely exposed position accessible to the mouth of the smoker. v

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the end of said compartment adjacent the retaining means is open to expose said first named cigarette end, and lighting means positioned adjacent the open end of said compartment for lighting the end of the cigarette thus exposed.

3. Means for dispensing cigarettes from a casing including a member slidable in a direction axially of the cigarette to be dispensed, a strip of resilient material connected at one end to said slidable member and extending longitudinally of the: cigarette beneath the same, whereby :application of pressure on said member causes said strip to bulge, forcing one end of the cigarette into an exposed position, and means for meanwhile retaining the other end of the cigarette.

4. Means for dispensing cigarettes from a casing including a member slidable in a direction axially of the cigarette to be dispensed, a strip of resilient material connected at one end to said slidable member. and extending longitudinally of the cigarette beneath the same, whereby application of pressure on said member causes said strip to bulge, forcing one end of the cigarette into an exposed position, and means for meanwhile retaining the other end of the cigarette, said strip serving to restore said member to normal position upon release of such pressure. f

5. A device for containing and delivering cigarettes, comprising a magazine for receiving a plurality of the cigarettes in side-'by-side relationship, a cartridge-like compartment for receiving cigarettes individually from said magazine, said compartment having a longitudinally extending opening along one side for permitting a cigarette to enter the compartment from said magazine, means for rotatably mounting said compartment whereby said opening may be turned toward the exterior of the device, a strip of resilient material for extending longitudinally of said compartment beneath the cigarette therein, and means for applying endwise compression to said strip for causing same to bulge, thereby thrusting at least a substantial portion of the cigarette from said compartment.

6. A device for dispensing and lighting cigarettes, comprising a casing for containing a plurality of the cigarettes, manually operable pyrophoric sparking mechanism, relatively slidable mortise and tenon means for securing said mechanism to an edge of said casing, wick means as= sociated with said mechanism for providing a flame adjacent the upper end of such edge, and means for retaining an end of a cigarette adjacent such flame.

7. A device for dispensing cigarettes comprising a magazine for retaining a plurality of the cigarettes, an elongated rotatable means along one edge of said magazine for receiving the cigarettesone at a time from said magazine, and means movable endwise of said elongated means for tilting one end of the cigarette from the lat-v urging the cigarettes through said slot, and

means obstructing one end of said slot whereby during the discharge of a cigarette, one end is freely exposed in a diagonal position in respect to said edge while the other end is retained until the cigarette is moved longitudinally.

9. A device for dispensing cigarettes, comprising a generally fiat and rectangularly shaped casing, magazine means therein for feeding cigarettes one-by-one to a position within and along the top edge of the casing, a finger piece adjacent a top corner of the casing and depressible inwardly and edgewise of the casing, and means operatively connected to said finger piece and arranged within the casing to engage a cigarette in said position and cause such cigarette to move into a diagonal position in respect to said top edge and with one end of the cigarette freely exposed while the other end is supported in respect to a top corner of the casing.

LOUIS V. ARONSON. 

